Few people know that there is currently legislation pending in Congress that, if enacted, would allow President Obama to run for a third term. House Joint Resolution 5 would repeal the 22nd Amendment, which limits the president to two terms in office. This is not new legislation. Rep. Jose Serrano, a Democrat who represents New York City, has introduced similar legislation in every Congress since 1997. No one has paid much attention – until now.

This legislation would require approval by two-thirds of both houses, and ratification by 38 states within seven years to become law. This is a very high hurdle for Obama worshipers to jump. They have launched a website to help persuade people to get busy now so Obama can be re-elected in 2016.

Never happen? Perhaps. But one year ago, who could have imagined that President Obama could fire the CEO of General Motors and put 31-year-old Brian Deese, a campaign adviser with no auto industry experience, in charge of reorganizing the corporation. Who would have believed, one year ago, that President Obama would plunge the nation into debt to the tune of nearly $9 trillion – during his first 100 days? Who could have imagined that the U.S. Congress would even consider taxing and rationing energy, as prescribed by The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES, H.R. 2454)? Who would have believed, a year ago that the nation today would be at the brink of accepting socialized health care? No one thought that the nation could move from moderate, center-right political policies to left-wing command-and-control policies in a matter of months.

No one dares scoff at H.J. Res. 5. With a strong Democrat majority in both houses of Congress and a fawning national and international media singing his praises, the president can impose all manner of evil on the nation.

There was a time when the term “social engineering” was a political obscenity. It applied to any government meddling into the market place, or into the decisions that free people might make in the pursuit of their own happiness.

Social engineering is now the primary function of the Obama administration, cheered on by a Democratically controlled Congress. This administration intends to force Americans to drive toy-car-death-traps, or travel by government-subsidized rail, or ride bicycles, or walk. This administration intends to tax the use of fossil fuel energy so heavily that it makes solar and wind appear to be a bargain. This administration has abandoned the free market and is spitting in the face of individual freedom.

It is now clear that Obama and his buds believe that they know best how everyone else should live, and they have no reluctance to enact laws and policies to enforce their vision. They have convinced themselves that their vision of a government-planned, government-run, government-enforced future is better than anything free people could possibly create by accident.

They are wrong, of course, but they are way beyond redemption. They are so in love with their political power that they not only refuse to listen to alternative ideas, they criticize and ridicule ideas that differ from their own.

It matters little how the semantics are parsed; whether Obama and his crowd are moving toward what may be called socialism or fascism is of little consequence. They are moving America toward a government-controlled dictatorship. And they are proud of it.

Tragically, the people who elected this crowd apparently want a government-controlled dictatorship. A coalition of left-wing organizations is planning to spend $82 million to support Obama’s takeover of the health care industry.

Anyone who thinks that a government-controlled anything is better than a free market alternative is living in a dream world. Government intervention into the market place is always costly, inefficient and often disastrous. The housing crisis that caused the current financial collapse is directly the result of government’s intervention through the creation of federal guarantees for loans issued to people who would not qualify in a free market.

Government’s intervention in the auto industry with arbitrary mileage requirements and other regulations contributed directly to the fall of the U.S. auto industry.

Government’s takeover of the energy market will increase the cost of energy dramatically, as much as $3,000 per year per household, plus the increased cost of all products and services that require energy.

Government’s takeover of the health care industry will not only increase the overall cost, but will incentivize waste, fraud and abuse, while rationing health care to people who fit the government’s profile.

Not everyone in America is an Obama worshiper. There are still freedom advocates scattered across the land, though many stayed home during the last election. The consequence is Obama and the Democrat majority in Congress. Reclaiming the Senate should be the highest priority for 2010. Candidates who embrace The Enumerated Powers Act (H.R. 450) and publicly reject global governance should be given first consideration; those who will not endorse these two principles should be kicked out of the Senate and sent to the showers.

The only way to avoid government control is to control the government.